NEW YORK: The United Nations said that the amount of dust in the air decreased slightly in 2023 but warned that poor environmental management is worsening sand and dust storms.
The UN’s weather and climate agency stressed the need for increased vigilance due to climate change. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) noted that around 2,000 million tons of dust enter into the atmosphere annually, affecting air quality, economies, ecosystems, and weather.
In 2023, average surface dust concentrations were slightly lower than in 2022 due to reduced emissions from North Africa, the Iranian Plateau, India, central Australia, and northwestern China.
However, concentrations increased in Asia, northern and central China, and southern Mongolia. A severe dust storm in March 2023 impacted over four million square kilometers, including parts of China, causing significant air quality declines and disruptions. WMO chief Celeste Saulo highlighted the impact of human activities on increasing dust storms due to higher temperature, drought, and poor land management.
